Latest news with #MoretonBay
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Brisbane couple earning $200,000 are living in social housing as over 50,000 desperate Aussies wait for a home
Australians earning six-figure salaries are benefitting from social housing despite not being eligible as others in desperate need are forced to join a long waitlist. The Queensland government on Monday revealed a small number of tenants in social housing were earning far above the income thresholds. It revealed multiple incidences of people rorting the system, including a Brisbane couple earning $200,000 a year before tax and paying just $200-a-week in rent. A household in Moreton Bay taking home almost $3,500 a week before tax was paying $270-a-week for a property that would normally rent for $650-a-week. A Townsville family who earned more than $160,000 a year before tax were paying less than $190-a-week on rent in a city where average rents are $500-a-week. Queensland's Housing Minister Sam O'Connor accused the previous Labor government of letting 'rent reviews fall by the wayside' in a statement. 'Labor turned a blind eye for years,' the minister said. 'It's unbelievable they let people on six-figure incomes stay in social homes for years while others in urgent need were left on the social housing waitlist.' The government has since announced a crackdown on social housing tenants, who will be once again be subject to annual rent reviews paused during the pandemic. Social housing tenants who are not paying up to 25 per cent of their income on rent will have their annual rent hike capped at $15. Those who can't verify their income will have to pay market rent and be evicted. The crackdown will also focus on households with spare bedrooms. Figures provided by O'Connor showed that 8,000 social housing households were 'under-occupying' their homes by two or more bedrooms. O'Connor said those people would not be forced to downsize but removalist costs or rent-free periods would be offered as incentives. To qualify for social housing in Queensland a single person with no kids can't bring home more than $610 a week. A couple with two kids cannot be earning more than $1,000 a week. 'We're empowering our housing officers to do what they do best – support the Queenslanders who most need a roof over their heads,' O'Connor said. 'These are long overdue changes to fix the system so it's better targeted to help the people who need housing most.' There are currently more than 52,000 people on Queensland's social housing waitlist.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Unbelievable': Crackdown on housing rort
The Queensland government is cracking down on the income of social housing tenants, as figures reveal people earning far above income thresholds are benefiting from subsidised housing. 'Labor turned a blind eye for years,' Housing Minister Sam O'Connor said on Monday. 'They stopped checking if people still qualified for social housing, and they let rent reviews fall by the wayside. 'It's unbelievable they let people on six-figure incomes stay in social homes for years while others in urgent need were left on the social housing waitlist.' Information released by the state government on Monday showed a small number of notable rorts were being carried out by social housing tenants. A Brisbane couple who earnt $200,000 (before tax) were living in a subsidised rental paying $200 a week, Mr O'Connor said in a statement. The government says it has identified a household in Moreton Bay, being paid almost $3500 a week (before tax), occupying a large social housing property and paying $270 a week – this property would rent for $650 a week on the open market. In another example, a Townsville family earning more than $160,000 a year (pre-tax) paid less than $190 a week in rent when Townsville median rents were $500 per week. A statement from the minister said these tenants were 'earning' these salaries – NewsWire has confirmed with his office that the figures are pre-tax. In Queensland, a single person with no kids must take home less than $610 a week to qualify for social housing. A couple with two kids cannot be earning more than $1000. As it stands, social housing tenants must pay 25 per cent of their income on rent; this will remain under the new shake-up. However, under the crackdown, all social housing tenants will be subject to annual rent reviews. If someone is paying less than 25 per cent, annual rent hikes will be capped at $15. Any tenant who cannot verify their income will then have to pay market rent and then will be evicted. The crackdown has a focus on households with spare bedrooms. Figures provided by the minister say 8000 social housing households are 'under-occupying' their homes by two or more bedrooms. People would not be forced to downsize, Mr O'Connor said. Instead, removalist costs or rent-free periods would be offered as incentives. 'We're empowering our housing officers to do what they do best – support the Queenslanders who most need a roof over their heads,' Mr O'Connor said. 'These are long overdue changes to fix the system so it's better targeted to help the people who need housing most.' There are more than 52,000 people on Queensland's social housing waitlist. The previous state government paused social housing evictions and yearly rent reviews during the pandemic. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Unbelievable': Qld cracks whip on social housing rorters
The Queensland government is cracking down on the income of social housing tenants, as figures reveal people earning far above income thresholds are benefiting from subsidised housing. 'Labor turned a blind eye for years,' Housing Minister Sam O'Connor said on Monday. 'They stopped checking if people still qualified for social housing, and they let rent reviews fall by the wayside. 'It's unbelievable they let people on six-figure incomes stay in social homes for years while others in urgent need were left on the social housing waitlist.' Information released by the state government on Monday showed a small number of notable rorts were being carried out by social housing tenants. A Brisbane couple who earnt $200,000 (before tax) were living in a subsidised rental paying $200 a week, Mr O'Connor said in a statement. The government says it has identified a household in Moreton Bay, being paid almost $3500 a week (before tax), occupying a large social housing property and paying $270 a week – this property would rent for $650 a week on the open market. In another example, a Townsville family earning more than $160,000 a year (pre-tax) paid less than $190 a week in rent when Townsville median rents were $500 per week. A statement from the minister said these tenants were 'earning' these salaries – NewsWire has confirmed with his office that the figures are pre-tax. In Queensland, a single person with no kids must take home less than $610 a week to qualify for social housing. A couple with two kids cannot be earning more than $1000. As it stands, social housing tenants must pay 25 per cent of their income on rent; this will remain under the new shake-up. However, under the crackdown, all social housing tenants will be subject to annual rent reviews. If someone is paying less than 25 per cent, annual rent hikes will be capped at $15. Any tenant who cannot verify their income will then have to pay market rent and then will be evicted. The crackdown has a focus on households with spare bedrooms. Figures provided by the minister say 8000 social housing households are 'under-occupying' their homes by two or more bedrooms. People would not be forced to downsize, Mr O'Connor said. Instead, removalist costs or rent-free periods would be offered as incentives. 'We're empowering our housing officers to do what they do best – support the Queenslanders who most need a roof over their heads,' Mr O'Connor said. 'These are long overdue changes to fix the system so it's better targeted to help the people who need housing most.' There are more than 52,000 people on Queensland's social housing waitlist.
News.com.au
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
2025 Hart Premier Netball League live stream: How to watch matches every round on KommunityTV
A new-look competition, revamped fixture and more of Queensland's top netball talent facing off every round are all coming in a blockbuster new season. The rebranded Hart Premier Netball League returns for the 2025 campaign on Sunday – and KommunityTV will be your place to watch the action. Two matches each round from the top flight Sapphire division will be exclusively live streamed on News Corp Australia mastheads, including the Courier Mail and Gold Coast Bulletin. It all begins with a big double header on Sunday as reigning premiers Ipswich Jets take on the Gold Coast Titans in a grand final rematch followed by the Brisbane South Wildcats facing off with the Sunshine Coast Thunder. Formerly the Sapphire Series, the Netball Queensland-run state competition was rebranded in the off-season to the Premier Netball League, bringing the Sapphire, Ruby and newly-formed Ruby North divisions under the one banner. And that's not the only change. The competition will also welcome the Moreton Bay City Pulse for the 2025 season, as KommunityTV captures all the best moments from Sapphire action every round. Matches begin on Sunday, June 8 with the season pushed back from its traditional earlier start date to after the completion of the Super Netball Reserves competition. The move will allow Netball Queensland pathways athletes to compete in both competitions. KommunityTV's season-long coverage will also include the Sapphire division finals series and the grand final on Sunday, September 14.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MasterChef Australia winner Julie Goodwin shocks fans with surprise new slimmed-down look
Julie Goodwin has debuted a fresh new look in her latest Instagram post. The Aussie cook, 54, who won the inaugural season of MasterChef Australia, had ditched the dye and shed some kilograms as she announced she would be making an appearance at the Moreton Bay Food & Wine Festival. 'Australia's original home cook hero, @_juliegoodwin, will bring her warmth, wit and heart to The Kitchen Stage, presented by @ausbuild,' the post read. 'She'll serve up simple, soulful food that inspires the whole family to get cooking.' 'With her signature family-style recipes and relatable charm, Julie's demos promise comfort food, real talk, and that heartwarming reminder of why we fell in love with her all those years ago.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Julie let her greys grow and flaunted a more au-natural colour for her locks in the clip, while also showcasing her weight loss since winning the cooking show in 2009. The kitchen extraordinaire looked slimmer than ever as she encouraged fans to attend the Queensland-based food event in August. Despite her makeover, Julie still donned her signature wide-frame glasses in the post, while wearing a pink sweater and matching, dangly pink earrings. 'Wow you are looking amazing' wrote one fan while another said, 'Omg is that Julie Goodwin? How much weight has she lost?' 'Julie you are looking incredible' someone else wrote while one more said, 'Julie you look absolutely amazing'. Julie reprised her MasterChef appearance in 2012 for the MasterChef All Stars series before appearing on Ten's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of here! ion 2015. More recently, Julie appeared on the 2024 season of channel Seven hit Dancing with the Stars. During her stint on the series, the show's judges called her 'a sexy vixen,' 'a sassy minx,' and even a 'dominatrix'. The MasterChef winner revealed what she really thinks of the stunning response to her makeover for the dance competition in an interview with Daily Mail Australia. 'That was unexpected and unfamiliar,' Julie laughed. 'My family thought it was hilarious. I'm normally cooking and running around after my granddaughter, not pushing a good looking man around on the floor. 'I was stoked with the judges' feedback,' she said. 'It was nice to hear that I'd gotten the dance pretty right.' Julie was sent home alongside Australian Olympian and former politician Nova Peris in a double-elimination round that upset fans of the series. However the beloved TV personality says simply hitting the dancefloor after injury felt like winning. The celebrity chef had just six days in real-time to recover from the 'blindingly painful' calf muscle tear she sustained in week one. 'It certainly impacted our training and I wasn't over it by any means,' she said of her elimination performance which aired on Sunday. 'When I was dancing, I had that much adrenaline in my system I didn't really feel it, but as soon as I got off the floor I had to ice it.' 'I'm really happy I was able to get on the dancefloor,' she said when asked how she felt about exiting the competition.
